The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-06-13

"Sometimes, sitting here by myself
! 60 over in my mind the very strang
things he used to say to me those days
~ remember that one evening h,
had been reading for long time il
some book that he got out OF thu
public library; but by-and-by he stop
ped and leaned his head on his hand
looking into the Goals. Then all a.
once:
Mother said he, isn't it won
derful thing that God could trust mel
with it?'
"'With what Ja.k?'
"'With the steam-the power, in 1t,
mean! 1t YVES long time before Ii,
did. But when the right time cam,
and then He told
go, motheri' said he, with his eyei
shining what must IL have been tc
be James Watt, and to listen to such
a secret as that?'
Tin q minute he spoke again:
"'And it's never safe to forget tt
listen, because we don't know wheI
He might speak, or what there might
be to hearl
~ could not answer him for chok
ing in my throat, but ! had laid down
my knitting, and put my arms around
him; and he looked up into my face
with something in his eyes that | new
er forgot.
ave were getting on well then. The
little house and garden were almost
paid for, and we thought that no
where in the world were happier PEG.
pie than We, or q brighter, cosier
home. My husband and I were al
ways talking OF this and that to be
done for Jack as soon as the last pay
ment should be made. But before
the money was due my husband came
home very sick one day.
"'Do not be frightened, Mary he
said. y think shall be better to-
| morrow
"But he only grew worse next day.
1t was lung fever that he had, and
for many days we thought he must
die. Yet he rallied after O. time
though he kept the hacking cough
and sat up and moved about the
house, and at last thought himself
strong enough to take his place again.
'"But that was too much, for at the
end OF the first week he came hons
and fell fainting on the threshold.
Its no use, Mary he said, after
he came to himself Il can't run the
engine and if could it isn't right for
peoples lives to be trusted to such
weak hands as mine!'
"He never did any regular work
after that, although he survived
year.
Consumption is terrible disease,
sir To see one that you would give
your hearts blood to save, slipping,
slipping away before your eyes, and
you helpless to hold him back by so
much as O. hairs breadth from the
gulf OF DEATH All, sirl | trust you
have never learned how hard it wasl
"Young as he was. Jack was my
stay and comfort through that dark
time. My poor husband had matters
in his mind that he longed to speak to
me about, but / always put him of.
for l could not listen to anythina
like his going away from us.
"But at last, the very day befors
the end came, as ] sat By mis- bed hold
ing his hand in mine, he said, very
gently but firmly:
Mary, wife, think you must les
me speak to you to-day
II fell to crying as if my heart would
break, and he drew pitiful sigh that
went like sword to my breast, yet |
could not stop the sobs. Then Jack
rose up from he little stool where he
sat so quietly That ! had almost for.
gotten he was there, and came and
touched me.
Mother! dear mother' he said;
and as / looked / saw his face was
perfectly white, but there were no
tears in his eyes.
'Motherl' he said again, please 60
away for little while. can't hear
what father wants to say
"You will think me cowardly, sir,
but did as the child babe me. l left
the door ajar, and could hear my
husbands weak voice, though | could
not understand the words and then
my brave boys answer, clear and low,
not break or tremble in the sweet
voice. And at last Jack said:
is that all, dear fatherT and,
Yes, / will be sure to remember it,
every world
"Then he came out and kissed me
with o smile, and went through the
out door.
"But an hour afterward, when I
went out to the we'll, ] heard little
choaking sound and found him lying
on his face in the long grass under the
apple tree, sobbing his very heart
away. So l turned about and went